Climbing high and looking far, hiking in the suburbs, cycling in the city, camping with light equipment, more and more young people are falling in love with outdoor sports——
There is wind in the mountains and the youth goes far away (Youth Observation·Decoding Youth Culture and Fashion)
Reporter Yi Shuran
"People's Daily"
"Mountain climbing heals everything." At 7:30 p.m., Yanzi (pseudonym), born in the 1990s, posted a WeChat Moments message with a picture of her standing on the top of Purple Mountain in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, overlooking Jinling City in the dusk. Mountain climbing is a high-frequency trend in Yanzi’s WeChat circle of friends. The top album contains almost all photos she took while climbing mountains throughout the year.
Climbing high and looking far, hiking in the suburbs, urban cycling, light camping... In recent years, more and more young people have fallen in love with outdoor sports. Even just going to the park to bask in the sun and having a picnic with a few friends is like "fully recharging" the fast-paced city life. The "China Outdoor Sports Industry Development Report (2024-2025)" released by the State Sports General Administration shows that the number of people participating in outdoor sports in my country has exceeded 400 million. In terms of consumer groups, young and middle-aged people have become the main consumers of outdoor sports, with the 25-34 year old group accounting for the highest proportion and generally having a higher level of education.
Why do outdoor sports continue to attract young people? Behind this craze is the change in the lifestyle and philosophy of the younger generation. For them, outdoor sports are not only a training of physical abilities, but also a way to relax their emotions and heal themselves.
Check out popular outdoor destinations and encounter new natural experiences
Along the Liangma River on the East Third Ring Road in Beijing, there is a lively scene every weekend. Paddleboarding, kayaking, camping and picnicking... all kinds of trendy outdoor activities that are popular at the moment can be seen here among young people.
In recent years, a number of outdoor hot spots have quietly emerged in many cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Wuhan. Going to check in and experience has become one of the motivations for some young people to get out of the house and embrace nature.
The outdoor life of Xiao Lin (pseudonym), born in 1995, began with a check-in trip. "I used to stay at home alone on weekends, watching variety shows, and ordering takeout when I was hungry. Later, for a period of time, friends around me posted photos of the campsite, which made me itchy, so I asked a few friends to check in together." Xiaolin said that she bought various camping equipment one after another, and went more often, and gradually fell in love with outdoor life.
The mentality of following the trend and joining in the fun faded away, and Xiao Lin began to look for a spot in the countryside with few people and beautiful scenery. Now, every Friday, Xiaolin will plan his weekend travel route in advance. "Going out for a walk, soaking up the sun and blowing in the wind, I feel like my weekend has been more fulfilling." Xiao Lin said.
Bohao Suga, an undergraduate student from the School of Physics of Peking University in 2022, described his first encounter with outdoor activities as an "accidental encounter."
During the recruitment period for university clubs in 2023, Bohao Suga spent most of his extracurricular life in the library reading and studying on his own, and his social circle was relatively small. "I wanted to find something new to do, so I happened to see the Hiking Enthusiasts Association recruiting new members, so I joined." In Suga's view, outdoor clubs are not like instrumental music and art clubs that require long-term practice, as long as the physical condition allows and the willingness to set out. Now, hiking and cross-country running are Suga's favorites. He has also become the main leader of the club and organized many outdoor activities.
From Kobayashi's relaxed and casual suburban camping to Hiroyuki Suga's hiking in the mountains, outdoor activities are being integrated into the lives of young people in different ways. Some people prefer to walk alone and follow the mountain road to sort out their inner emotions; some people like to travel together and go on the road side by side with like-minded partners. It is worth noting that no matter what mode of travel they use, young people increasingly value the real feelings that nature gives to their body and mind while walking. "For a while, I was addicted to buying outdoor equipment. I spent a lot of money on everything from appliances to clothing. Later I discovered that the happiness of being outdoors does not lie in complete and high-end equipment, but in the true feelings during exercise." Xiaolin said.
Wang Zhaohong, deputy dean and professor of the School of Physical Education and Sports of Beijing Normal University, said that the outdoor craze reflects the changes in the lifestyle and spiritual needs of contemporary youth. At the consumption level, young people are gradually shifting from physical consumption to experiential consumption, and are willing to pay for natural experience and emotional value; young people's health concepts are also changing. People are constantly upgrading, paying more and more attention to their own physical fitness, understanding that they are the masters of their bodies, and looking for a healthier lifestyle; at the same time, in the digital age, being immersed in the Internet for a long time can easily lead to a sense of emptiness. Young people are eager to move away from the screen into the wilderness, see themselves in a real natural environment, and interact with friends in a real way.
Relieve stress and have a sense of accomplishment, heal yourself while walking
Why does the outdoors continue to attract young people? The answers given by many people point to the same feeling: decompression.
"After a busy week, I climbed the Purple Mountain again. I climbed to the top of the mountain on the stone road, and the wind blew my hair soaked with sweat. Suddenly I felt that the anxiety in my heart was blown away, and I was freed from the tight state." Yanzi described the moment of decompression when he was outdoors. Yanzi said that when climbing a mountain, my legs are sore, my breathing is short, my physical strength is constantly exhausted, and my heart gradually becomes empty. This contrast is unforgettable.
Bohao Suga also feels the same way about "outdoor decompression". In the early spring of 2025, Bohao Suga and his friends went to Shanxi to climb Mount Wutai. They walked 60 kilometers of mountain roads in two days, which was a great test for their physical fitness.
"In early spring in the north, it was cold in the mountains, and the food and accommodation conditions were poor along the way. But after climbing, I felt very relaxed. After returning to Beijing, I felt that my overall condition was better, and I found answers to the confusion I encountered in my studies." Bohao Suga said that it was this experience that made him "addicted" to the outdoors.
In addition to emotional relief, another reason why outdoor activities continue to attract young people is a sense of accomplishment.
Once, Yanzi challenged Hengshan, located at the junction of Bowang District, Ma'anshan City, Anhui Province, and Jiangning District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province. The first half of the journey was relatively flat, but then he encountered more than 2,000 stone steps, and he couldn't see the end when he looked up. At first she felt discouraged, and her legs were so sore several times that she couldn't lift up. Finally, she climbed to the top of the mountain with willpower. When I stood on the top of the mountain and looked back, there was no ecstasy, only a sense of accomplishment that "I can do it" fell into my heart. "One more step will bring you one step closer. This sense of accomplishment is more attractive than the beautiful scenery." Yanzi said.
In Suga's view, most young people go outdoors not to conquer nature, but to feel their own potential and energy in quantifiable challenges.
Pei Linru, a counselor at Wuhan University of Science and Technology, is an outdoor enthusiast. During her long-term student work, she intuitively felt the changes in young people's enthusiasm for outdoor sports and witnessed the multiple growth that outdoor sports bring to young people.
Pei Linru believes that the most intuitive change in outdoor sports is the improvement of physical fitness. Many students who originally struggled to run 1,000 meters in physical tests have greatly improved their condition after developing the habit of outdoor sports. The deeper change lies in the shaping of mental toughness. "Outdoor exercise is a healthy and effective emotional outlet that can avoid the long-term accumulation of negative emotions. Just like riding a bicycle and encountering headwinds, climbing mountains and encountering steep slopes, and hiking and encountering bad weather, this experience of persevering in real difficulties is a valuable asset when facing the storms of life in the future." Pei Linru said.
Pei Linru also mentioned that for young people, efforts in the workplace and school often have long feedback cycles and uncertain results. However, outdoor sports have clear goals and can see results within a relatively certain period of time. This gradually improves young people's sense of self-efficacy and becomes an implicit psychological support for coping with stress.
The craze requires more cold thinking, respecting nature and keeping the bottom line of safety
Under the outdoor craze, safety risks are gradually emerging. In recent years, news about young people being in danger outdoors is common: some people are attracted by the social platform "Internet celebrity wild line" and rashly step into undeveloped and unprotected areas, underestimate the complexity of the mountains and wilderness, and encounter dangerous situations; some private outdoor teams have uneven qualifications, and the team leader lacks emergency rescue capabilities, further amplifying the hidden dangers of travel.
In interviews, when young people recalled their past outdoor experiences, they all mentioned the need to revere nature. "Although some routes are beautiful, they are highly dangerous and are more suitable for professional outdoor people to experience. 'Amateurs' are close to nature and need to be in awe first." said Zhuang Shengtao, vice president of Southeast University Outdoor Association and undergraduate student at Wu Jianxiong College.
Last winter, Zhuang Shengtao went hiking in the South Taihang Mountains. It had just snowed at that time. After the sun came out, the road became very slippery. If you were not careful, you might fall into the valley. He put on his crampons and moved forward slowly as close to the mountain as possible. "Dangers often occur on some routes in the South Taihang Mountains. Looking back now, I am still quite scared. Later, I became more cautious in trip planning and route selection, and safety came first." Zhuang Shengtao said.
Wang Zhaohong suggested that we speed up the improvement of industry regulations, promote the establishment of a normalized mechanism for team leader skills assessment and first aid certification, distinguish the thresholds for leisure hiking and high-risk mountain routes, and eliminate unlicensed team leadership; regulate online publicity, strictly prohibit excessive exaggeration of wild roads by Internet celebrities, and rectify marketing behaviors such as exaggerated publicity and low-price induction. "Universities and industry associations should play a positive guiding role, popularize outdoor safety knowledge among young people, and strengthen risk education for young participants; remind young people to rationally identify outdoor services, not blindly challenge undeveloped routes, proactively screen team leader qualifications, and abandon the mentality of blindly 'following the trend and clocking in'." Wang Zhaohong said.
Pei Linru suggested that before young people set off, they must report their itinerary to family or friends, where they are going, who they are going with, and when they will come back - these three pieces of information should be known to at least one "not present" person. Don’t be misled by words like “you can go alone” and don’t go into the mountains alone or take unfamiliar roads. At the same time, you can purchase outdoor sports insurance in advance to have responsibility and protection for yourself and your family.
"Young people often have the spirit of 'not admitting defeat', or have the mentality of 'come on, come here', but if you experience panic, dizziness, nausea, or weak legs and feet during outdoor exercise, this is a 'stop signal' sent by your body, and you should stop and rest immediately or return in time," Pei Linru said.
(Zeng Haimeng and Zhang Xinyuan participated in the interview and writing)
Reporter's Notes
Go outward, look inward
After interviewing many young people who love outdoor sports, I truly feel that engaging in the outdoors is not just a simple pastime, but also a life choice for contemporary young people to calm down their emotions and find themselves. When climbing a mountain, your body is exhausted, but your heart is relaxed; when you climb the steep slope and reach the top, you gain the self-affirmation of "I can do it." Young people move away from the screen and into nature, not only releasing the pressure caused by their studies and workplace, but also gaining their own happiness and sense of accomplishment.
This outdoor craze further reflects the changes in the way young people socialize. Young people are no longer satisfied with virtual interactions in cyberspace, but value face-to-face interactions and real connections with nature. Put aside the fragmented pictures packed with filters, perceive the world with your steps, and gain emotional resonance while walking with friends.
Under the craze, risks also follow. Internet celebrities’ wild lines hide hidden dangers, and blindly following the trend hides dangers. Get close to nature, but also respect nature. When going outdoors, you must not only carry your love for the distant place, but also pack your safety awareness into your bag. I hope that more young people can not only feel the beauty of windy mountains and fields, but also keep the bottom line of safety and calmly go to the distant places in their hearts.
